Rock-cutting apparatus.



N0. 7U7,|28. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

F. LUBNITZ.

ROCK CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 2, 1902.) (N0 Modgl.) 6 SheeisSheet l.

I (ix/lid) flu/04424.

No. 707128. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

F. LUBNITZ.

ROCK CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application flied. Apr. 2, 1902.

(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 2.

W4 2, 4 I x a;

No. 707,!28. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

F. LOBNITZ.

ROCK CUTTING APPARATUS. 7

(Application filed. Apr. 2, 1902.)

(No Model.)

6 Shams-Sheet 3.

No. 7o7,|2a. Patented Aug. 19, I902.

' F. LUBNITZ.

ROCK CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 2, 1902.)

(N0 Model.)

6 Sheets -Sheet 4.

No. 707,!28. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

F. LDBNITZ. ROCK CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 2, 1902.) v

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

No. 707,|28. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

F. LOBNITZ. v ROCK CUTTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed. Apr. 2, 1902.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

I WWII I xix 410K27 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED LOBNITZ, OF RENFREW, SCOTLAND.

". QCK-QUTTING APPARATUS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters llatent No. 707,128, dated August19, 1902.

Application ma April 2, 19oz. eel-a1 No. 101,080. (No model-J To aZZwhom it may concern.- J

Be it known thatl, FRED LOBNITZ, engineerand ship-builder, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, and a resident of Clarence House, Renfrew,Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements ConnectedwitlrRock-Cutting Apparatus, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to apparatus known as rock-cutting apparatus forcutting or breaking up rocks, boulders, stones, hard earth, and suchlike whether under water or on dry land. I

In order that therock-cutting apparatus may be worked as efficiently andcheaply as possible, it is necessary that the blows given by therock-cutter should be delivered in quick succession. At present therock-cutter is raised up by the action ofa steam-winch provided with awinding-drum, which when the cutter is to be raised is clutched to thewinch-shaft and when the cutter is to be lowered is unclutched andallowed to run freely, so as to pay out the rope attached to the cutteras the latter falls down and strikes the rock. The clutch used ispreferably a coilclutch, which the winchman operates by means of ahand-lever. In order to save time in the raising-of the rock-cutterafter each blow, it isusual for the winchman to clutch the winch-drum toits shaft as soon as possi'-. ble afterthe eutt r has struck the rock,so as to avoid any unngcessary slackening or paying out of the ropeattached to the cutter. 'loactuate the clutch always at the proper timesrequires watchfulness, combined with care and judgment; on the partofthe winchman, andas a matter of practice it has been found diffieult toobtain men capable of giving proper attention to the matter. to overcomethisdilficulty, I propose to antomatically actuate the clutch at theproper times by means of a suitable mechanical arrangement.

My invention essentially consists in utilizing the natural slackening orkinking of the rope, which occurs each time the cutter strikes theroek,to actuate mechanism whereby the clutch is instantaneously andautomatically applied.

The invention can be carried out in various In order.

ways; but in order that it may be clearly understood I will nowdescribe, with reference to the drawings annexed, two convenient methodsof automatically actuating the clutch. These methods of carrying out theinvention are merely given by way of example, and it is to be clearlyunderstood thatv do not confine myself thereto.

On thedrawings, Figure 1 is a side-eleva tion of a convenient form ofrock-cutting barge as used for submarine work. Fig. 2 is Fig. 3 is asectional a plan view of the same. side view showing my improvementsapplied to the hoisting-winch. Fig. 4 is a front View of the winch. Fig.5 is a sectional plan view of part of the clutch-actuating appliance.Fig. 5 is a cross-section. Figs. 6 and .7 are views, similar to'Figs.3and 4, of another ar-- rangement of the clutch appliance.

on the drawings, which only show sufficient details of construction ofthe whole 'apparatus to enable the present invention to be clearly understood, the same reference-letters wherever repeated indicate thesame parts.

. a is the barge, b, a supporting framework or structure on theba'rge;e, the rock-cutter in the raised position; d, the steam hoistingwinch;e, the hoisting r'ope, and f the steamgenerator.

Speaking generally, the rock-cutting appa-' ratiis consists of a heavyram or cutter c, havinga renewable steel point secured to its lower endand a steel hoisting-rope 2 attached toits upper end. This rope passesover the,

pulley g on the top of the structure I) and is led down to thewinch-drum h. The winch may be of any suitable construction, but ispreferably a steam winch with 'a-loose winding-drum and a clutcharrangement whereby the drum can be easily clutched to or un-..

clutched 'from'its driving-shaft;

In Figs. 3 and 4, j is the shaft of the winchdrum, and his afriction-clutch on a thickened part of the shaft. This clutch may beofany suitable construction, but preferably consists of acoiledsteelbandl, which at one end is attached to the lo0se drum h andat of the bent lever n, whose long armojrests the other end isattachedto the short arm m f the winch-shaft by means of the lever-gear19' p p The coil-clutch, as well as the winchdrum, revolves loose on thewinch-shaft when the hoisting-rope is being paid out. When the clutch isloose, the spring q retains the arm of-the lever it against the disk p.The drum is frictionally clutched to the winchshaft by actuating thelevers 1 3 9 so as to move the disk p and press back the arm 0 of thelever n in order to cause said lever to pull the coil and tighten itwith a frictional grip upon the shaft. This is the clutch now employedin the best practice. of the art. The levers p p p have heretofore beenoperated by hand when applying the clutch, and I propose to perform theoperation mechanicallyl Immediately the rock-cutter strikes the ,rock itcauses the hoisting-rope to kink or bend, and I take advantage of thisby arranging, as shown at Figsr3, 4, and 5, a roller i upon an arm r insuch manner as to rest upon the hoisting-rope. This arm is secured tothe shaft sin such manner thatit can move freely.

- It may'be attached by means of a roller bearing or sleeve 8' in ordervto insure the greatest freedom of movement. Attached to the spindle ofthe roller t is a V-shaped bar u, to which a wire rope r is secured.This wire rope, which runs overa pulley 'v on the winchframe, has at itslower end a heavy weight w, through which the long arm x of a bell-cranklever a: passes. .This lever a: is fulcrumed,by means of 'a pin, on abracket y, secured to the casingy' of the winch-cylinders y. The

short arm w of the lever a: is forked at its lower end and bears againstan adjustable collar 2 on the rod 11 which is attached to the end of theforked clutch-operating lever 1 tached to the winch-framing. The wholearrange'ment is such that when the rope. kinks or slackens in the mannerindicated by the dotted lines at 6', Fig.3, the weight "w sinks and inso doing operates the bell-crank lever to, rod p, and lever 11, therebyforcing the disk-p against the long arm 0' of the lever n and causingsaidlever n to move backward and at the same timeby means of the shortarm m to tighten the coil-clutch upon the shaft j of thewinch. The arm rmerelyserves to support the roller 15 in place. j

If desired, instead of having the arrange went before set forth theremay be an arrangement such as shown at Figs, 6 and 7. Inthis case thearm 7' is dispensed with and a double arm 7" used. This arm iscentered'npon a bar 7*, secured to the winch-framingand it supportsv atits upper end on a cross-bar r a grooved sliding pulley t". The arm iscranked at its lower end and provided with a heavy weight w. Secured tothe cranked part of the arm 1' is a link 10 which is jointed at itslower end to the. bell-crank m This bellcrank is fulcrumed on thebracket 1 Its lower end is forked and actuates, as before, the rod 12 bystriking against its collar 2'.

The action of the improved mechanism does not in any way interfere withthe working of This lever is fu-lc'rumed in jaws 1), at-,

clutch whenever so desired by means of the hand-lever 1'0 If so desired,a spring action may be used instead of the action of a weight, such as wor w, or the movement of the roller 15 (or t) necessary that I shouldexplain full-y how these alternative arrangements may be carried out, asthey will be obvious to any one skilled in the art to which thisinvention relates.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isa I 1. In rock-cutting apparatus, thecombination of a cutter, a winch with'winding-drum, winding meansconnecting. the cutter with the winch-drum, a clutch in connection withthe drum, and-means set'inoperation by the wind; ing means for applyingthe clutch.

2. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drum, winding means connecting the cutter with the winch-drum, aclutch in connection with the drum, and means set in operation by thewinding, means for automatically applying the clutch.

3. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winchwithwinding-dr'um, ,a clutch in connection with the drum, a ropeconnecting the cutter with the drum, and means'set in operation by therope for applying the clutch.

4. In rock-cutting apparatus,.the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drum, a eoil-clutch in connection with the drum, a reps,connecting the cutter with the drum, and means set in operation by therope for applying the coil-clu tch.

5. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch'withwinch-shaft, a

drum loosely mounted on the shaft, a coil- 4 clutch 'for clutching thedrum to the shaft, a hoisting-rope connecting the cutter with the drum,and means set in operation by the rope for applying the clutch,substantially as set v forth.

6. In rock-cuttingapparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drnm, a clutch in connection with the drum, a rope connectingthe cutter with the drum, means for operatingthe clutch, and means setin operation by the rope for actuating said clutchoperating means,substantially as set forth.

7. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drum,

a clutch'in connection with the drum, a rope connecting the cutter withthe drum, a lever for Operating the clutch, and means set in operationby the rope for actuating said lever,

tion of a cutter, a winch with winding-drum,

a clutch in connection with the drum, a rope connecting the cutter withthe drum, a lever for operating the clutch, a rod connected with thelever, a collar on the rod, a bell-crank lever capable of strikingagainst said collar and operating said rod, and means for operating thebell-crank lever, substantially as set forth.

10. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination ofa cutter, a winch withwinding-drum, a clutch in connection with the drum, a rope connectingthe cutter with the drum, a lever for operating the clutch, a rodconnected with the lever, a collar on the rod, a bell-crank levercapable of striking against said collar and operating said rod, a weighton the bellcrank, and means connecting said weight with thehoisting-rope, substantially as set forth.

11. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drum, a clutch in connection with the drum, a rope connectingthe cutter with the drum, a lever for operating the clutch, a rodconnected with the lover, a collar on the rod, a bell-crank levercapable of striking against said collar and operating said rod, a weighton the bellcrank, a rope attached to said weight, and a roller securedto said rope and which rests upon the hoisting-rope, substantially asset forth. 7

12. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drum, a clutch in connection with the drum, a rope connectingthe cutter with the drum, a lever for operating the clutch, a rodconnected with the lever, a collar on the rod, a bell-crank levercapable of striking against said collar and operating said rod, a weighton the bellcrank, a rope attached to said weight, a roller secured tosaid rope, and means for supporting the roller so that it may rest uponthe hoisting-rope, substantially as set forth.

13. In rock-cutting apparatus, the combination of a cutter, a winch withwinding-drum, a clutch in connection with the drum, a rope connectingthe cutter with the drum, a lever for operating the clutch, a rodconnected with the lover, a collar on the rod, a bell-crank levercapable of striking against said collar and operating said rod, a weighton the bellcrank, a rope attached to said weight, a roller secured tosaid rope, and an arm movably secured to the winch for supporting theroller so that it may rest upon the hoisting-rope, substantially as setforth. I

Signed at Glasgow, Scotland, this 19th day of February, 1902. i

FRED LOBNITZ.

\Vitnesses:

H. D. FITZPATRICK, WILLIAM GALL.

